This Yearbook consists of a review of the preceding year’s significant events, as well as policy and legal developments within the institutions of the European Union. It reviews major EU policy developments, studies and other publications, legislative proposals, and case law from the European Court of Justice and the European Court of Human Rights.

The position of non-EU migrants in social security is problematic. Many European states reduce access to social benefits for categories of migrants whose presence is not desired. At the same time the scope of application of the national systems is becoming more confined to the national borders, as, for example, countries take measures to reduce the exportability of benefits. These two trends of exclusion and retrenchment particularly affect ir...

How should a State treat an irregular migrant worker who is confronted with the realisation of a social risk such as becoming incapacitated for work due to a labour accident? Should he be treated like any other worker and qualify for income replacement benefits, medical benefits and labour-market reintegration measures? Or should he be denied these benefits? This book addresses these questions and sets out proposals on how irregular migrant wo...

Within the European Union, social security basically remains a national field of competence. The lack of common norms has paved the way for a large disparity in social protection between EU Member States, which is not conducive to the European single market. Moreover, it may lead to an increase in poverty and social exclusion and intensify economic competition between Member States. At the same time, almost all EU Member States are bound by on...

The authors of this book critically assess the current stage of social federalism in Belgium and ask how against the background of the major challenge of an ageing population an effective social policy can be shaped. The book considers at which level the bulk of an effective social policy is best situated, what the role of the sub-national entities can be, and which limitations are imposed by the constitutional and European framework. The vari...

This book analyses the reaction of some countries to the financial and economic crisis of 2007 with regard to the effect of this economic downturn on pensions. Both European and Anglo-Saxon countries are examined. It thus clarifies the main problems with regard to accounting standards for occupational retirement schemes, the funding of both DC and DB pension schemes, the governmental troubles with PAYG schemes. Recommendations and lessons fro...

The field of disability law and policy is both new and rapidly expanding at European level. It covers a disparate range of subject areas including non-discrimination, transport, education, employment and housing. For the first time, the Yearbook draws all of the relevant developments at the European level together and provides an indispensable reference work for lawyers, public policy analysts, researchers, government agencies and civil societ...

Our social security systems face many challenges. Economic crises, the ageing of the population and changing employment patterns call for a reorientation of policies. In the last few decades the introduction of private elements has often been advocated as a way forward. This book addresses the questions to which this privatisation gives rise.